This leaf is from the brief transitional period when the new technology of printing with movable type was combined with the more labor intensive methods of hand painting. The earliest printers were trained in the manuscript tradition and incorporated the conventions of historiated initials and illustrations into their early work. At first they left those spaces blank for the illuminator to complete entirely by hand. Later they developed printing methods (using woodcuts or iron engravings) to decorate the leaves.

This vellum leaf is from a printed Book of Hours. It is a beautiful example of early printing with the recto featuring a full-page, hand-colored image of the Nativity. Below the image is Psalm 69:2, which translates as: "O God, reach out to help me. O Lord, hasten to assist me." The verso includes additional iron engravings that depict biblical scenes and text with initials illuminated in red, blue and burnished gold.

References:

Condition: B+

Light toning and soiling with some cockling of the vellum.